The North Antrim MLA said: "On a day when we have been remembering brave soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom, it is sad that there are those in our community who engage in this barbaric behaviour believing it to be justified and that they are doing something for their community.

"Nothing could be further from the truth.

"In the cover of darkness masked men took the law into their own hands to execute their form of justice.

"This was not the freedom that we were remembering today. Rather this was the actions of those who would impose their form of justice, according to their rules."